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| Image Source: AS |
Mexico rising star Santiago Giménez earned high praise from Feyenoord legend Mario Been following his dominating display against bitter rivals Ajax, scoring twice before the match was suspended due to fan violence.
The 22-year-old striker added another two goals to his remarkable tally this season, taking his count to eight in just six Eredivisie appearances. His clinical finishing and creative flair was on full display before the clash abruptly halted with the score at 3–0.
“Giménez truly is fantastic,” Been acclaimed in an interview with ESPN after the game. “He hadn’t even touched the ball before his first goal, but that was a fantastic finish. Feyenoord have immense goalscoring prowess.”
Giménez opened the scoring in the 10th minute, finding space in the box and coolly slotting home. He doubled Feyenoord’s lead in the 33rd minute, beating the offside trap to latch onto a through ball and cleverly dinking it over the goalkeeper.
The Mexican phenom has been in stunning form this season, building on his breakout 2022–23 campaign where he notched 23 goals across all competitions. His early exploits have him on track to shatter that tally, spearheading Feyenoord’s attack.
However, Giménez was unable to complete his hat-trick after angry Ajax supporters launched fireworks onto the field, causing the referee to suspend play three times. The final stoppage in the 56th minute led to the remainder being postponed, likely to Tuesday without fans.
The third interruption occurred just after Giménez set up teammate Oussama Idrissi for Feyenoord’s third goal of the chaotic Klassieker clash. Tensions boiled over as frustrated home fans reacted to their team’s poor performance.
While disappointed to see his hat-trick bid disrupted, Giménez will still have opportunities to reach double figures this month. Feyenoord face Go Ahead Eagles on September 30th, where their talismanic striker will look to build on his red-hot form.
Giménez joined Feyenoord last summer from New York City FC and immediately became integral, netting 15 Eredivisie goals en route to a third place finish. His increased production has sparked transfer rumors, but he remains focused on leading the Rotterdam club’s charge.
After years of Ajax dominance, Feyenoord appear poised to contend again thanks largely to Giménez’s brilliance. The composed finisher has added a lethal cutting edge, bullying defenses with his strength, speed and technical ability.
Mexico will also hope Giménez can translate his club success to El Tri’s upcoming friendlies and 2022 World Cup campaign, providing vital goals on international football’s biggest stage. For now, his rapid rise continues as this bright young talent realizes his immense potential.
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